In the autumn of 2021, a heart-wrenching event unfolded in Monroe, Louisiana, forever altering the lives of a young family. On October 29, 8-month-old Riley Bardwell, a female infant, was tragically killed in her home. She died alongside her mother, 24-year-old April Edmisson Bardwell. April was a dedicated critical care nurse, celebrated as a high school salutatorian and a valedictorian at the University of Louisiana at Monroe School of Nursing.
Riley was remembered as a happy baby who loved to giggle.
Authorities arriving at their residence on Old Sterlington Road discovered a grim scene, finding both mother and child with apparent gunshot wounds. The investigation quickly focused on one individual: Blake Bardwell, who was April's husband and Riley's father, and also a former Ouachita Parish Sheriff's deputy. He was present at the scene when law enforcement arrived.
Blake Bardwell was taken into custody and subsequently admitted to shooting his wife and infant daughter. He was arrested and faced two counts of second-degree murder. In January of the following year, a grand jury in Ouachita Parish indicted him on these charges. The legal process moved forward, culminating in Blake Bardwell pleading guilty to the murders. For his actions, he received two life sentences, ensuring he would be held accountable for the devastating loss of his family.
